This week, reports broke that the U.S. Government managed to lose almost 1,500 children taken from their families at the United States border.
When families with small children are taken into custody at the border, or if children try to escape their country on their own, they are placed in a sponsor home–or the home of a relative or family friend–while awaiting trial on their case. However, many of these children apparently are “missing.”
According to Steven Wagner, assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families–officials in the administration were “unable to locate” 1,475 children who were placed in homes between October and December 2017.
However, officials also state that once children are placed in homes to await the outcome of their asylum cases–they are not “legally responsible” for them. Instead, they believe it is the responsibility of the sponsor or the relative to keep track of the children.
Many reports have also indicated that children may have “run away” from the homes they were placed in. However, children in many homes were being “sexually and physically abused,” and although reports were filed, no action was taken to remove these children from their unsafe homes.
DHS sent children to homes where they were abused.
And HHS admits there is lax follow-up because, one presumes, there are not enough workers allocated to do the job.#WhereAreTheChildren pic.twitter.com/wd4F1mntRM
— Victoria Brownworth (@VABVOX) May 26, 2018
Donald Trump, however, has blamed Democrates–citing a law enacted by Democrats that separate children from their parents. Also–of course–he plugged his “wall.”
Put pressure on the Democrats to end the horrible law that separates children from there parents once they cross the Border into the U.S. Catch and Release, Lottery and Chain must also go with it and we MUST continue building the WALL! DEMOCRATS ARE PROTECTING MS-13 THUGS.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 26, 2018
Since the news broke, the Internet has been in an uproar over the new information and demands that the government work to find these missing children.
I will help organize a #WhereAreTheChildren rally in San Antonio this week. This inhumanity needs to stop.
— Joaquin Castro (@JoaquinCastrotx) May 26, 2018
1500 kids fleeing from abuse are lost.
Instead of caring about finding the kids under his watch…Donald Trump blames Democrats.
Thank you to everyone who did not vote in Nov 2016 because “both candidates were equally horrible.”#WhereAreTheChildren
— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) May 26, 2018
I can't imagine any prior First Ladies sitting idly by while their husband's administrations ripped immigrant children from their mothers and allowed God knows what to be done to them. @FLOTUS Melania can go to hell along with her #BeBest scam. #WhereAreTheChildren #AMJoy
— ImpeachTrump (@dumptrump33) May 26, 2018
Christain conservatives are these the policies that you support? Removing screaming toddlers from the arms of their parents for the ‘crime’ of seeking a better life. Search your consciences and your bibles. Make certain where your god would stand #WhereAreTheChildren pic.twitter.com/A4aUicmgN5
— Marie (@tlmlarsen) May 26, 2018
The Feds purposely lost 1,500 kids because they are brown. Because they are immigrants. #WhereAreTheChildren
— Simar (@sahluwal) May 26, 2018
As a father, I can't fathom a Government ripping my children from my arms just because I want a better life for my family. What the fuck has this country become?#WhereAreTheChildren
— ✊USAF✊ #VetsResistSquadron (@Goss30Goss) May 26, 2018
As a father I DEMAND to know where those children are!! As an American I DEMAND to know where those children are!! As a human being I DEMAND to know where those children are!! The ones in the concentration camps are just barely better!!#WhereAreTheChildren #WhereAreTheChildren pic.twitter.com/nT524cXr39
— Captan Amurica (@ImAkEmOrEsEnSe3) May 26, 2018
This is horrific. I have three children and if anyone tried to take any one of them away from me and then LOST THEM, it would destroy me. The people perpetrating these abuses are monsters. #WhereAreTheChildren https://t.co/plOgEhxFMV
— Catherine Danziger (@CatDanziger) May 26, 2018
I don’t understand how anyone could work for @ICEgov. ICE’s policy of separating children from their families under the Trump administration is not only un-American, it’s inhumane.
Call 1-866-DHS-2-ICE and ask them #WhereAreTheChildren?
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) May 26, 2018
The real patriots and real Christians want to know. #WhereAreTheChildren
— andy lassner (@andylassner) May 26, 2018
America: “Bring me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free..” and when you arrive I will abuse you and shoot you and take your children from you and dispose of them somewhere. #wherearethechildren https://t.co/FfOWuUy7Tf
— Glennon Doyle (@GlennonDoyle) May 26, 2018
Hey, @realDonaldTrump; You say immigrants are "animals" (and we see how you raised your sons to treat animals). #WhereAreTheChildren? Did you shoot them on 5th Avenue thinking you wouldn't lose a single supporter? Are the children alive, or did you order their dispersal/disposal?
— Rick Calvert (@RickCalvert) May 26, 2018
Some are comparing it to other historical events we should have “learned from.”
Official US policy:
Until 1865, rip African American children from their parents.
From 1870s to 1970s, rip Native American children from their parents.
Now, rip children of immigrants and refugees from their parents.#ThisIsAmerica ?! #WhereAreTheChildren
— African American Research Collaborative (@AfAmResearch) May 26, 2018
The Holocaust did not end with people being called subhuman, constantly compared to criminals, put into yellow markers with children torn from the the arms of screaming mothers..
But it did start there.#WhereAreTheChildren
— Mikel Jollett (@Mikel_Jollett) May 26, 2018
WHO THE FUCK ARE WE?
Calling people subhuman, equating them with MS-13, mistreating them, children torn from the arms of THEIR MOTHERS.
I HEREBY DEMAND that those 1500 children be found and with the other children separated returned to their parents.#WhereAreTheChildren #ICE
— ?? PithyPacky ?? (@pithypacky) May 26, 2018
It can happen here.
It *is* happening here.#WhereAreTheChildren pic.twitter.com/yN5qL27QP4
— Kaivan Shroff (@KaivanShroff) May 26, 2018
Separating children from parents is a Nazi era tactic. It happened during WWII and its happening again under Trump regime. #WhereAreTheChildren
— ?al?pal (@OrangeLimonata) May 26, 2018
I haven’t been able to sleep knowing that 1,475 children, who are of course of color, were purposely ripped from their families and are now lost. I’ve been outraged and sickened by the actions of this criminal GOP regime, but this is on a Nazism/Hitler level. #WhereAreTheChildren
— Ricky Davila (@TheRickyDavila) May 26, 2018
Group portrait of children who are being separated from their mothers by Ustasa guards, at the entrance to the Stara Gradiska concentration camp.#WhereAreTheChildren pic.twitter.com/AUK71ot2Zp
— Somebody else's animal baby (@SBfut3) May 26, 2018
When terrorist organization Boko Haram kidnapped girls in Nigeria, the world- rightly so- was horrified. In 2018, the United Stated government LOST 1,500 children and Chief of Staff Kelly says children are put in foster care or "whatever". THIS CANNNOT HAPPEN #wherearethechildren
— Mariel (@miamimama305) May 26, 2018
"The road to Auschwitz was built by hate, but paved with indifference."
– Ian Kershaw#WhereAreTheChildren— Rick Calvert (@RickCalvert) May 26, 2018
Others are fearing for the safety of the children, citing that human traffickers could have taken many of these innocent kids.
PBS has confirmed that some of these children have been released to HUMAN TRAFFICKERS by the US government.https://t.co/muz4lCQXcD
— Mikel Jollett (@Mikel_Jollett) May 25, 2018
Human trafficking's the 3rd largest globall crime industry, behind illegal drugs & arms trafficking – $32 billion/year.
Fighting child trafficking: American Assoc of University Woman w/ the National Council for Jewish Women & The Freedom Youth Project.#WhereAreTheChildren
— ProfHelen (@Helenhs) May 26, 2018
These children must be in a perpetual state of being emotionally horrified by not knowing where their parents are, and strangers who are herding them and treating them like animals possibly being sold to human traffickers. Their parents angst. I could vomit.#WhereAreTheChildren
— ANGRY NAVAL OFFICER #VETSRESISTSQUADRON (@BlueGhost40_) May 26, 2018
Why isn't the pizzagate crowd asking #WhereAreTheChildren? The Trump administration literally lost children and turned others over to HUMAN TRAFFICKERS.
And this is just what we know about. https://t.co/x0Gr3vpKeM
— Caroline O. (@RVAwonk) May 26, 2018
A reminder that while trump lost 1500 kids, Princess Ivanka was out there claiming to be working to end human trafficking. An initiative started by Michelle Obama and trump took all the funding from. #WhereAreTheChildren
— ?Tina? (@trcfwtt) May 26, 2018
The US is now engaged in kidnapping and complicit in human trafficking. We are separating families based on ethnicity, just like we did to the Native Americans, Slaves, Japanese, etc. If any other country did this, we'd press charges at The Hague. #WhereAreTheChildren
— Tom Gladstone (@TomGladstone) May 26, 2018
More than likely the United States Government put 1500 kids in the trajectory of the sex trade. Children don’t just disappear, they go somewhere. This is stunningly irresponsible.#WHEREARETHECHILDREN
. https://t.co/gzwAmsiAAn— ᒍEᖇᔕEYᑕᖇᗩIG #PrideResist (@CJPatruno) May 26, 2018